Voltammetric Characterization of Grafted Polymer Modified with ZnO Nanoparticles on Glassy Carbon Electrode

Abstract

In this study, a grafted polymer (GP) with ZnO nanoparticles (GP/ZnO NPs) was attached on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE), in order to produce a new modified electrode (GP/ZnO NPs-GCE). The gamma irradiation method was used to grafted polystyrene (polymer) with acrylonitrile (monomer), while slow evaporation process was used to prepare the new modified electrode. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) of K₄[Fe(CN)₆] was used to study the electrochemical properties GP/ZnO NPs-GCE. The peak separation (ΔE_pa-c) was 500 mV between the redox peaks of Fe(II)/Fe(III) in an aqueous solution of 1 M KCl and the current ratio of redox current peaks (I_pa/I_pc) was ≈ 1 for the modified electrode. This indicated that the modified electrode has s good reversibility and conductivity, wherefore; it was applied in the voltammetric filed. It was found that the modified electrode GP/ZnO NPs-GCE have a reasonable solubility and stability at various pH medium. Additionally, the sensitivity of the electrochemical analysis by cyclic voltammetric (CV) method is extensively subjected to the pH medium and the scan rate (SR). A couple of redox current peaks of K₄[Fe(CN)₆] in KCl solution was observed with a reversible process: Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺. Finally a good diffusion coefficient of electroactive species (D) for the new modified electrode was found in this study by chronoamperometry method using Cottrell equation.